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Marine plane crash: Monument dedicated in Mississippi to 16 killed a year ago

Jeff Amy, Associated Press
Published 4:33 p.m. CT July 14, 2018

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Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of these 16 men who died when a Marine KC-130 crashed in Leflore County on July 10, 2017.
Dustin Barnes/The Clarion-Ledger

Marine Raider Memorial March participants do a set of pushups around the monument honoring 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman who died in a 2017 plane crash near Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018. The group of 30 former comrades and widows of members of Marine 2nd Raider Battalion, will have teams that will be on the road around the clock through July 27, relaying rucksacks of dirt and sand from the crash site and memorial site over 900 miles to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)(Photo: Rogelio V. Solis, AP)

A year after a U.S. Marine Corps plane broke into pieces high in the sky and slammed into a Mississippi soybean field, relatives and friends are keeping alive the memories of the 15 Marines and Navy corpsman who died in the crash.

It's an active form of memory — building, telling, hiking, running — to honor the New York-based crewmembers who flew the KC-130T military transport, as well as the special forces Marines they were carrying from North Carolina to California for training.

"All we want to do is talk about them and share who they were with the rest of the world," said Anna Johnson, the widow of Gunnery Sgt. Brendan Johnson, a crew member.

More than 200 family members and friends gathered Saturday in the Mississippi Delta town of Itta Bena to dedicate a monument to the July 10, 2017, crash of the plane, whose call sign was Yanky 72.

Among speakers at a ceremony at Mississippi Valley State University were Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps. Ronald L. Green, Gov. Phil Bryant and U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. Mississippi's Marine Corps League led an effort that raised more than $100,000 for a memorial outside a government building where the recovery effort was based, several miles east of the crash site. Mississippi lawmakers named the stretch of U.S. 82 that ran through the debris field the Yanky 72 Memorial Highway.

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Morgan Zoufal, is comforted as she reacts to seeing the name of her late fiancee, Marine Sgt. Dietrich A. Schmieman, on a marble monument, honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman who died in a 2017 plane crash near Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, joined a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at two ceremonies, one on the campus of Mississippi Valley State University and the other across the street. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Marine Raider Memorial March participants do a set of pushups around the monument honoring 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman who died in a 2017 plane crash near Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018. The group of 30 former comrades and widows of members of Marine 2nd Raider Battalion, will have teams that will be on the road around the clock through July 27, relaying rucksacks of dirt and sand from the crash site and memorial site over 900 miles to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Lance Buckley inspects the name of his best friend, Marine Staff Sgt. Joshua M. Snowden, on a marble monument, honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman who died in a 2017 plane crash near Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, joined a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at two ceremonies, one on the campus of Mississippi Valley State University and the other across the street, where the monument was unveiled. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Family members, friends and military supporters and local residents look at the unveiled monument honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman who died in a 2017 plane crash near Itta Bena, Miss., during ceremonies Saturday, July 14, 2018. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, joined a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at two ceremonies. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

A Marine plays "Taps," as fellow Marines prepare to position wreaths on the monument honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman, who died in a 2017 plane crash near Mississippi Valley State University during ceremonies in Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, were joined by a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at the ceremonies. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Marines unveil the marble monument honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman, who died in a 2017 plane crash near Mississippi Valley State University during ceremonies in Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018. U.S. Marine Corps and Mississippi officials spoke during two separate ceremonies, where this monument recognizing the military personnel, a state road designation sign and a landmark marker detailing the history of the plane crash were unveiled. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, were joined by a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at the ceremonies. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

A Marine rings the bell during the "Final Roll Call," of the names of the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman, who died in a 2017 plane crash near Mississippi Valley State University during ceremonies in Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018. U.S. Marine Corps and Mississippi officials spoke during two separate ceremonies, where a monument recognizing the military personnel, a state road designation sign and a landmark marker detailing the history of the plane crash were unveiled. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, joined a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at the ceremonies. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

A memorial highway marker honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman, who died in a 2017 plane crash near Mississippi Valley State University was unveiled, during ceremonies in Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018. U.S. Marine Corps and Mississippi officials spoke during two separate ceremonies, where a monument recognizing the military personnel, a state road designation sign and a landmark marker detailing the history of the plane crash were unveiled. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, joined a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at the ceremonies. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Marine Raider Memorial March participants, consisting of 30 former comrades and widows of members of Marine 2nd Raider Battalion, set out Saturday, July 14, 2018, on a 900 mile march to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to honor the 15 Marines and U.S. Navy corpsman, who died in a 2017 military plane crash near Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Miss. The marchers will have teams that will be on the road around the clock through July 27, relaying rucksacks of dirt and sand from the crash site and memorial site. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Marine Raider Memorial March participants, consisting of 30 former comrades and widows of members of Marine 2nd Raider Battalion, walk past soybean fields as they set out from Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018, on a 900 mile march to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to honor the 15 Marines and U.S. Navy corpsman, who died in a 2017 military plane crash near Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena. The marchers will have teams that will be on the road around the clock through July 27, relaying rucksacks of dirt and sand from the crash site and memorial site. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

A family member uses a program honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman, who died in a 2017 plane crash near Mississippi Valley State University as a fan, during ceremonies in Itta Bena, Miss., Saturday, July 14, 2018. U.S. Marine Corps and Mississippi officials spoke during two separate ceremonies, where a monument recognizing the military personnel, a state road designation sign and a landmark marker detailing the history of the plane crash were unveiled. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, joined a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at the ceremonies. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Gov. Phil Bryant, center, and U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., right, listen as U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Rex McMillan, speaks during Saturday, July 14, 2018 ceremonies on the Mississippi Valley State University campus in Itta Bena, Miss., honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman who died in a July 10, 2017 plane crash near Itta Bena, Miss. A monument recognizing the military personnel, a state road recognition and a landmark marker detailing the history of the plane crash were unveiled. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, joined a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at the ceremonies. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Carl E. Mundy III, speaks during Saturday, July 14 2018 ceremonies on the Mississippi Valley State University campus in Itta Bena, Miss., honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman who died in a July 10, 2017 plane crash near Itta Bena, Miss. A monument recognizing the military personnel, a state road recognition and a landmark marker detailing the history of the plane crash were unveiled. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, joined a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at the ceremonies. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Gov. Phil Bryant speaks Saturday, July 14 2018 during ceremonies on the Mississippi Valley State University campus in Itta Bena, Miss., honoring the 15 Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman who died in a July 10, 2017 plane crash near the school. A monument recognizing the military personnel, a state road recognition and a landmark marker detailing the history of the plane crash were unveiled. More than 200 relatives and friends of the 16 people who died aboard the flight with the call sign Yanky 72, joined a couple hundred county residents and military supporters at the ceremonies. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Mark Coward of Columbus Marble Works, cleans the surface of the Itta Bena, Miss., memorial, Thursday, July 12, 2018, built in honor of the 15 Marines and Navy corpsman who died in the July 10, 2017 air crash. Several family and friends are expected to attend the Saturday, July 14, 2018 unveiling of a memorial near the crash site, built in their honor. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Mark Coward of Columbus Marble Works, cleans the surface of the Itta Bena, Miss., memorial, Thursday, July 12, 2018, built in honor of the 15 Marines and Navy corpsman who died in the July 10, 2017 air crash. Several family and friends are expected to attend the Saturday, July 14, 2018 unveiling of a memorial near the crash site, built in their honor. AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis, AP

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For many of the relatives, it was the first time they've come to the crash site and the first time members of all families have gathered. Several praised the warmth of the Mississippi organizers.

"I'm there for a community that has been unbelievably kind to us," Johnson said. "I want to thank them for this blessing that they have given to us, to build this memorial."

No cause for the plane crash has been released, as the investigation continues. All 12 remaining Marine Corps KC-130Ts were grounded for months. Some, but not all, are flying now, said Marine Forces Reserve spokesman Maj. Andrew Aranda. The Navy is grounding its larger fleet of C-130Ts until propellers are replaced, with Congress appropriating $121 million to accelerate the work. Officials haven't directly linked the propellers to the crash, saying only that it was one of the issues identified when planes were inspected afterward.

C-130s have historically been one of the military's safest aircraft, which is part of what made the crash shocking, said Deneen Hopkins Wiske, a Wisconsin firefighter who is the sister of Gunnery Sgt. Mark Hopkins.

"We were very much lulled into a false sense of security with Mark and what he did," Wiske said. "These are beasts of the sky; they don't fail."

Nate Harris, a Special Operations Command Marine who declined to give his rank, said members of his unit shoot formal pictures now before they go to training, instead of only when they're shipping out for combat tours.

"It's really hard to come to grips with something that happened in training," Harris said. "In combat, that's what we signed up for."

Harris is leading the Marine Raider Memorial March , a group of 30 former comrades and widows of members of Marine 2nd Raider Battalion. Teams of marchers will be on the road around the clock through July 27, relaying rucksacks of dirt and sand from the crash site and memorial site over 900 miles to Camp Lejeune. They intend to plant a tree in the soil at Marine Corps Special Operations Command. It's the second long-distance march by the same organizers. The first one, covering 770 miles came in 2016. It followed a 2015 helicopter crash in Florida that killed seven special operations Marines and four Louisiana National Guards members.

"We need to bring these boys home," said Harris. "We know it's the right thing to do to honor them."

That's far from the end to memorial efforts.

Ryan Ortiz, a former reservist in the transport unit knew several of the men, but was closest to 26-year-old Sgt. Owen Lennon, a Pomona, New York, crewmaster. He raised more than $20,000 for charity by selling T-shirts memorializing the crash.

"Marines are doers," Ortiz said.

Nina Baldassare, the mother of crew member Cpl. Daniel Baldassare, is moving near Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York — where Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452 is based — and plans to open a cafe.

"I made it my purpose to be part of the community so I could be part of their lives," Baldassare said.

Wiske plans to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October as a memorial fundraiser for the Wingman Foundation, saying it's appropriate because her brother was a "notoriously fast" and "effortless" runner.

"I can't imagine a plane filled with 16 better human beings," Wiske said. "They remind us of the best we have to offer and they certainly led their lives by getting the most out of every day."